There is no question that Canadian comic Tom Stade is a good comedian. There is also no doubt that he has a huge following and can do no wrong with them.

There is no doubt that he is hard working and has produced a whole batch of funny stuff over the years and appearances on primetime TV will attest that he is going places.

What is less clear is to why this inventive funny man has elected to do this show which is in essence a greatest hits of some of his favourite material. Is he too busy working to write new stuff? Is it he has a new DVD appearing soon? Who knows?

What is clear is that Stade with his appearance to be either slightly tipsy or more is a commanding figure on stage with a personality to engulf the room. He performs as only he can for the full hour reminiscing on his life with family and his kids punctuated with the veritable stories and gags from his repetoire.

Maybe this is a good idea to introduce his potential new fans to his back catelogue and to appease his legion of fans with old favourites but for me I would have liked to see him perform new material instead of tried and tested stuff.

That said he is as always a solid reliable comic and quite a showman to boot.

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Reviewed by Geoff

Assembly Rooms Ballroom

Until 25 August